If you haven’t seen TV ads for it, you might have heard about it in the news as either the fastest growing social media platform in the world or as a target for President Trump, saying that the Chinese-owned app was a potential security risk. Either way, TikTok’s exponential growth rate in the US alone creates a fascinating case study for advertisers who are looking to expand their brand’s reach as we all inch closer to the “oh, we cannot wait for it to be 2021” new year.
“Bro, what is TikTok?”
TikTok is a social media platform and mobile app where users basically share videos. Users can choose from all sorts of song clips or sound bites to use as soundtracks or effects for the videos they create. If this sounds childish, you might be right considering that about 33% of all US TikTok users are between the ages of 10 and 19. However, that leaves another 66% of the US TikTok users to be distributed amongst the age groups of 20 to over age 55 with 30% of those age 30-50. According to global data provided by TikTok, there were over 100 million monthly active users in the US with 50 million of those using the platform every day.
“What Should You Do About it, Bro?”
If you’re an advertiser, you may want to consider TikTok as a legitimate advertising platform to reach specific targeted audiences. When targeting the teenage demographic, brands such as apparel, gaming, entertainment, and food and beverage industries (aside from alcohol) could benefit greatly with focused ads on TikTok. The adult market is also a targeted demographic that advertisers should consider now as well as in the future. Pre-COVID pandemic demographic statistics show that of all adult users of TikTok in the US, 66% were between the ages of 18 and 34. In addition, 40% of all adult users had a household income of over $100,000 per year. Industries such as travel, automotive, electronics, apparel, mobile carrier services, internet and television providers, streaming services, and more could benefit from a marketing plan that includes TikTok. Of course, music is also a huge part of TikTok’s platform. Promotion of musical artists, album and single releases, upcoming tours, concerts, and festivals would be ideal for targeting the average TikTok user.
“Wrap it up, Bro!”
TikTok’s future in the US is still a bit uncertain. There have been discussions and legal battles to block the Trump Administration’s proposed ban of the app which claims that the data of all US users will be available and utilized by China to the detriment of the United States. It should be noted that popular apps and websites blocked by the Chinese government include Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, just to name a few. US-based companies have been in discussions to purchase all or a large portion of TikTok’s US operations. More will be revealed in the coming months regarding the fate of TikTok in the US. While it might not be the best time for advertisers to go “all in” on the platform, it is definitely worth some serious consideration.
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